Hibs v Aberdeen: Team news, referee, key battles, likely line-ups

We preview the sixth match of Hibs’ campaign ahead of Sunday’s home match against Aberdeen

Daryl Horgan battles with Funso Ojo during a pre-season clash between Hibs and Aberdeen at Pittodrie

Hibs host Aberdeen on Sunday in another televised game as Jack Ross’s side look to extend their unbeaten run.

The Dons posted back-to-back wins against St Johnstone and Livingston before putting six past Faroese outfit NSI Runavik in the Europa League on Thursday night.

Aberdeen’s last trip to Easter Road ended in a 3-0 defeat as a Martin Boyle-inspired Hibs ran riot in the second half, but the Dons will fancy their chances having won three games in a week as well as the last competitive meeting between the two teams earlier this year.

The Pittodrie side currently lie seventh with two wins and one defeat from their three games so far although they will slip further down the table at least overnight, should St Johnstone pick up three points at home to St Mirren on Saturday.

The eight Dons players who breached coronavirus prevention measures earlier in the season are due to learn their punishment, if any, from the Scottish FA later today.

Team news

Stevie Mallan made a goalscoring and matchwinning return to action last week against St Johnstone and could be pushing for a starting berth this week. Drey Wright also livened things up on his return from injury and will also be hoping to play from the start. Kevin Nisbet sat out last week’s match after suffering a hamstring injury and could be touch and go for Sunday’s clash. Sean Mackie is still working his way back to full fitness after suffering a broken foot in January.

Aberdeen are without long-term casualty Michael Devlin while forward duo Sam Cosgrove and Ryan Edmondson will also miss the trip to Edinburgh. Niall McGinn, who missed the Europa League victory as a precaution could return to the squad but Craig Bryson is likely to miss out again with a calf injury.

Likely line-ups

Jack Ross could be tempted to change up his formation from 4-4-2 after watching his midfield struggle in the past couple of matches. He set Hibs up in a 3-4-1-2 formation in their last match against Aberdeen at Pittodrie and a diamond formation in the 3-0 win against the Dons in November. Depending on Kevin Nisbet’s fitness, Martin Boyle could start up front alongside Christian Doidge while Melker Hallberg could be handed a starting berth after a string of substitute appearances.

Hibs: Marciano; P McGinn, Porteous, Hanlon; D Wright, Gogic, Hallberg, Newell, Doig; Allan; Boyle, Doidge. Subs from: Dabrowski, Gray, McGregor, Stirling, Stevenson, Mallan, Horgan, F Murray, Nisbet, Gullan.

Derek McInnes tends to prefer a 3-5-2 formation for matches against Hibs and could opt for that strategy again with the in-form Ryan Hedges deployed as a No.10.

Aberdeen: Lewis; Taylor, McCrorie, McKenna; Hayes, Ojo, Ferguson, Kennedy, Hedges; Watkins, S Wright. Subs from: Cerny, Anderson, Logan, Hernandez, Hoban, Main, McGeouch, N McGinn, McLennan, Considine, Campbell.

Key battles

Paul Hanlon will likely be tasked with keeping an eye on Marley Watkins. The on-loan Bristol City forward could make his second start up front in the absence of Sam Cosgrove and Ryan Edmondson and the Easter Road captain will relish the challenge of keeping the ex-Inverness Caley man quiet.

Josh Doig could come up against Jonny Hayes on HIbs' left flank. The former Celtic winger is wily and quick and Doig will need to be at his best to keep the Irishman from getting too much joy on that flank.

Christian Doidge may well face one-time Hibs target Ross McCrorie as he looks to get on the scoresheet. The on-loan Rangers man is strong and versatile and Doidge will have to use all his attacking nous to get any joy out of him.

Form guide (most recent result on left)

Hibs: WDWWW

Aberdeen: WWL

Referee

Nick Walsh has been tasked with overseeing the match. The 29-year-old referee takes charge of his first league game involving the Capital club since December last year when he sent off Ryan Porteous in a 3-0 defeat to Rangers at Easter Road. The centre-back became the third Hibs player to be shown a red card by the official in just 14 matches, after Marvin Bartley got his marching orders in a 2-1 home win against Ayr United in September 2016, and Darren McGregor saw red in a goalless draw with Morton in March 2017.

Walsh is assisted by Calum Spence and Dougie Potter, while David Dickinson will handle fourth-official duties.

Magic number - 3

There have been three goals scored in the last three meetings at Easter Road: a 3-0 win for Hibs last November, and two 2-1 wins for the Dons in February and May 2019.